Winding and dyeing machine.



W. A. AINSWORTH.

WINDINGND DYEING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IuLY I6. I9I7.

' Patented Aug. 6, 191.8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W.' A. AINSWORTH.

YWINDING AND DYEING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn JULY 16. 1917.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.v

w WN to another.

En s'rATEs PATENT onirica.'

WILLIAM A. AHWSWOBTH,.0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 EARL N. MATHR, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MIIGHIGAIN.

wmnme AND Drame' MACHINE.

Specication ot Lfetters Patent.

Patented Aug. c, 191s.

applicati@ filed my 1e', 1917. serial no. 180,805. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WiLLnxM A. AINS-V WORTH, a citizen of the United States 0f America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the `county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Winding and Dyeing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a machine or mechanism for winding yarns or `similar materials such as are used in the manufacture of knitted fabrics, and consists in mechanism applied to said machine wherebyv the yarn, thread, or other like material may be dyed, stained, or colored, either in intermittent or continuous lengths as said material travels from one cone. bobbin, or skein,

Yarn, thread, or similar fibrous material fabrics, is first applied to a winding machine by means of which it is wound on proper sizes and shapes of cones or bobbinsl for use in theJ various knitting machines which make the knitted fabric, and it is during this process of winding thatmy invention works to either intermittently or continuously dye, Stain, or color the same.

For an understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing showing the same in preferred form and in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of 'a winding machine equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2V is a perspective view looking tnward a side and end of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section illustrating particularly the dyeing, staining, or coloring mechanism applied to the winding machine.

Figs. 4 and 5 show in end and side elevation oneelement of the dyeing, staining, or coloring mechanism, and

Fig- 6 1s a perspective view, with parts broken away, of one end of the dye-containank or receptacle. mike reference characters refer to like parts in the several views `of the drawing. The winding machine in construction comprises spaced a art end frames 1 whichare connected by ower bars 2 and upper thread up and down and guide it properly -form 1s carried. v A. are fixed to the tank and extend a short dischine, each carrying a cone, bobbin, or the like, as indicated at 6", on which the yarn, thread, or the like, is wound by the machine prior to its use in a knitting machine. The yarn or thread passes over 'a rest 8 projecting from a nut 9, threaded on to a vertical screw-threaded rod 10, one of such rods 10 being provided for each Spindle 7. The thread likewise passes under a rod 8", carried in any suitable manner above the bar 4.- In practice the screw-'threaded rodslO are power driven and at proper points reverse in their movements so as to carry the with respect to the cone or bobbin 6a.

As a part of the winding machine mechanism, there is included a wheel 11, mounted forgrot'ation and drivenv from any suitable source ofpower. It in turn, through a belt, drives a second wheelY 13, which through suitable mechanism is adapted to drive the plurality of spindlesj'? and screw-threaded -rods 10 heretofore described. Inasmuch as 'the specific mechanism. for d riving the spindles 7 and rods 10 forms no' part of the present invention, it is not shown nor described in detail. v

At each side of the machine above the bar` 4 and\ mounted on suitable brackets carried thereby, is a tank 14, in which a. quantity of dye, stain, or coloring matter 15 in liquid plurality of supports 16 tance thereabove, each at its upper end carryinga Suitable guide'17, through which Y the yarn or thread may pass from the cone or'-bobbin 6,as itis unwound by the -machine. There are4 of course, as many supl ports 16 and gui es 17, as 'there are/cones or bobbins 6 to be unwound, and the number may varied or changed at'will. Like wise a plurality of Wicksv 18 are carried by the tank 14 and extend into the coloring uid, the upper end of each wick extending *like material on the cones or bobbins 68,'

a short distance above the tank as indicated at 19, the thread or yarn normally passing immediately above said upper end of its associated wick. v

1 5:- A` bracket 20 is secured adjacent each end around pulleys 26, one of which is 'fastened' at an end of each shaft 21, it being apparent that when the machine is operated, shafts 21 are continually rotated; the collars 22 with attached fingers 23 turning with the shafts.

In operation, the rotation ofspindles 7 causes a winding of4 the thread, yarn, or

drawing and unwinding the same from the cones or bobbins 6 and drawing it past the upper end 19 of its associated wick 18. The thread or yarn passes normally underneath the fingers 23 of one of the collars 22. It will be apparent that the yrotation of shaft 21 with the 'consequent movement of the ingers 23, causes said fingers to intermittently ing itinto contact with the end 19 of a v wick 18 whereby dye orsimilar coloring matter is applied to the thread until such time as the pressure of the finger 23 is removed, whereupon-the yarn or thread is released and moves over'and above the wick A until again depressed by the succeeding linger 23. This v-action causes the yarn or thread tovbe dyed, stained or colored in intermittent lengths with .other lengths of uncolored yarn or thread between that which has been dyed or colored. Thisis a desirable feature in that the yarn thusw dyedl or v stained when knit into a fabric, producesa fabric in which a variegated color etl'ect and appearance is made. Of course, it is possible to stain or color the yarn continuouslyr by merely turnino` the shaft 21 to a position such that one o? the fingers 23 holds the yarn or thread in Ydepressed position and then drawing the yarn under saidnger, shaft 21 remaining at rest.

Preferably a. shaft. 27 extends lengthwise always be of uniform color and not have engage against the thread or yarn, depressf the materialk havs lengths alternate of each tank or receptacle 14 on which a' any sediment or coloring matter settle to the bottom of the receptaele.- 4This may be accomplished in a variety of ways.

l As one way I have v shown: a gear 30 equippedwith a double driving pulley 32, belts 33 leading therefrom to and around the pulleys 29 on the ends of shafts 27, it being clear that such construction attains a continuousv and relatively slow turning movement of shafts 27 whenever the gear, is in motion. The shaft on. which gear 30 is mounted is ldriven from any suitable source of power and the gear meshes with a pinion 31 'attached either to wheel -11 or the shaft on which the wheel is fixed for driving said wheel. y

.I have ,described the operation of the mechanism with respect to one cone or bobbin of thel thread or yarn, -but the same applies to all, the action being identical in each case. A machine of the character described may be used to intermittently stain, dye, or color yarns and like fibrous materials, and a great quantitycan be acted upon with little or no expense. The operation as at present carried' on for intermittently'coloring, staining or dyeing yarns or the like, is relatively costly `involving considerable handling, waste and shrinkage ofthe material which is avoided with my invention.

I claim 1. In a windin and dyeing machine, meansto transfer t read, yarn, or like material from one holder therefor to another, and means to intermittently apply coloring matter to the length thereof as it is transferred, substantially as described.

2. In a winding and dyeing machine, means to transfer thread, yarn, or the like from one kholder therefor to another, a receptacle containing coloring matter adjacent which said material passes, and means 4for" periodically nbringing said .material into contact with the coloring' matter whereby ly colored, and uncolored, substantially as described.

3. In a winding and dyeing machine, means to transfer thread, yarn, or like material froim one holder therefor to another,a receptacle containing liuid coloring matter over which said materi passes, a wick eX- tending into the colormmatter and having esl terial into contact with the coloring matter consistsv of a rotatably mounted collar, a linger projecting from the ncollar adjacent which the material passesL and means to turn the collar whereby said finger periodically engages against the material and brings it lnt contact with said coloring matter, substantially as described.y

6?. AA machine containing the elements in combination deiined in claim 3, ycombined witha shaft extendin through the receptacle containing the co oring matter, stirrers fixed to the shaft, and means for turning the shaft.

7. An attachment adapted for application to winding machines for yarn or like material including a V receptacle for containing liquid coloring matter, `over which the yarn is adapted to pass, said receptacle having cylindrical form and adapted to lie lengthwise of the machine, a plurality of Wicks in the receptacle extending a short distance thereabove, a shaft paralleling the receptacle, a plurality of collars, vone for each wick secured on the shaft, and lingers under which the yarn is adapted to pass proj ectinglaterally from each collar.

. 8. In a windin and dyeing machine, means to transfer t read, yarn or like material from one holder therefor to another, a member impregnated with coloring materia-l closely adjacent which the thread, yarn or like material normally passes, and movable means located between one of the holders and said'member and operable to intermittently press against the thread, yarn or like material to periodically bring the same into contact engagement w1th said member, whereby said material is wiped across the member and receives coloring matter therefrom, intermittently applied in the length of the material, substantially as described.

9. In a winding and dyeing machine, means to transfer thread, yarn or like Vmaterial from one holder therefor to another, a. member impregnated with coloring matter adjacent which the thread, yarn 0r like material normally passes, and means for intermittently Apressing said material against said member whereby said material is inter` sof material passes the Same whereby intermittent lengths of the material are colored, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

WILLIAM A. AINSWORTH. 

